HOLOTHUROWEM. 295 



visited me. He approached and examined all the instruments used 

 in the observatory with great attention, seeking to discover their use. 

 I showed him a gun with percussion cap, which astonished him 

 greatly, especially when I pointed out to him its great superiority 

 over the flint-lock. He assured me that these arms were still un- 

 known in the Celebes, his country ; but he failed to convince me of 

 that. He questioned me as to the places we had visited, and where 

 we were going. I endeavoured to sketch a map of New Holland, 

 New Zealand, and New Guinea upon a leaf He then took my 

 pencil, and added to it the Indian Archipelago, the coasts of China 

 and Japan, and the Philippine Islands. Surprised in my turn, I 

 asked him if he had visited all these places. He replied in the 

 negative, but added that he knew their position perfectly, and could 

 easily take his vessel to any of them. Finally, the interview termi- 

 nated by his asking for a glass of arrack. I do not know if this 

 intelligent Malay professed the Mahometan religion, but I do know 

 that he drank half a bottle of wine and a quarter of a pint of arrack 

 without being at all the worse for it. He then offered me some pre- 

 pared trepang, inviting me to taste it, which I did ; to me it appeared 

 to resemble the lobster in taste. My men liked it, and thankfully 

 accejjted the captain's offer ; for my part, I felt an utter repugnance 

 even to taste it. 



"According to the account I had from the Malay captain, the 

 price of trepang in the Chinese markets was fifteen rupees (about thirty 

 shillings) the pekoul, or a hundred and twenty-five pounds. He esti- 

 mated his cargo to be worth about a hundred and twenty pounds. 

 The fishing had occupied him and his crew three months. From the 

 earliest times this commerce has belonged exclusively to the Malay 

 fishermen, and it \\ill always be difficult for Europeans to compete 

 with them. The Malay vessels are equipped on the most economical 

 principle, and the men are wanting neither in sobriety, intelligence, 

 or activity. 



It was nearlyfour o'clock w^hen the Mala}'^ finished their operations. 

 In less than half an hour they had embarked their cargo ; the tents 

 were struck, and, together with the boilers, carried back to the boats, 

 which were already preparing to set sail. At eight o'clock in the 

 evening they hoisted sail and left the bay." 



Some idea may be formed of the extent and importance of the 

 Holothuria fishing by the number of ships which it attracts in this part 

 of the East. Captain King assures us that 200 vessels annuallj^ 

 leave Madagascar to fish for the sea shig, as it is sometimes called. 

 Captain Flinders, being on the coast of Australia, learnt that a fleet 



